Race hate crimes: Victim of nightclub attacks calls for harsher punishments

A man filmed being assaulted and subjected to a torrent of racist abuse has said he wants tougher sentences for offenders.

Ebehitale Igene was abused at a north Wales nightclub on three occasions - the footage of the final assault was posted on social media.

Tomos Wilson, 19, pleaded guilty to racially-aggravated assault and racially-aggravated harassment.

He was handed a 20-week suspended sentence by magistrates in September.

One police officer investigating the attacks said it was the "most disgusting" abuse he had experienced in 13 years with North Wales Police.

Wilson, from Star near Gaerwen on Anglesey, was filmed holding Mr Igene by the neck in toilets at Cube nightclub in Bangor in March.

The video showed him shouting racist-laden expletives at his victim, and telling him to "go home".

It was the third time in three weeks Wilson had accosted Mr Igene at the nightclub, each time hurling racist abuse.

He called his victim a string of offensive names, referring to his skin colour and his West African heritage.

"(It's) made me depressed - made me suicidal - has ruined my happiness, has ruined my career," business graduate Mr Igene told Newyddion S4C.

"Why would you just see and just hate me, just because of my skin colour?"

"It doesn't matter where you are from, we all bleed the same."

A member of public spotted the video of the final assault on social media, and complained to the police.

Wilson admitted a single charge of racially-aggravated common assault, two charges of racially-aggravated harassment against Mr Igene, and a further charge of racially-aggravated harassment after hurling abuse at a security guard outside a take-away in Bangor.

Magistrates in Caernarfon imposed the 20-week suspended sentence, and ordered Wilson to pay his victim £500 compensation.

Wilson was also banned from approaching Mr Igene for two years, and ordered to stay away from the nightclub too.

The court also banned him from drinking alcohol for the next three months, and he must wear an electronic monitor to make sure he remains sober.

But Mr Igene said he felt his attacker's suspended prison sentence sent out the wrong message.

"He posted the video without my consent, humiliated me three different times, and then you are giving the person six month suspended sentences," said Mr Igene, who moved to Wales three years ago, and lives with his partner at Llangefni on Anglesey.

"Those who have been caught red-handed racially abusing people should be taught a lesson, should be punished according to the law."

Legal expert Dylan Rhys Jones said magistrates were working within strict guidelines set by the UK government.

"If in the future, a government is to consider placing more emphasis on ensuring that such crimes do not occur, perhaps the sentence needs to be raised higher," said the head of law at Glyndwr University in Wrexham.

"Unfortunately, the way things are at the moment - the magistrates can only work within the guidelines they receive from the government."

However, Mr Rhys Jones said a suspended jail term was still a custodial sentence, which can be imposed if any further offences are committed.

The Sentencing Council, which is the UK government's arms-length body overseeing guidelines, describes suspended sentences as "both a punishment and a deterrent".

Mr Igene said that was little comfort to him as he still struggles with what happened to him.

"People here are welcoming," he said.

But he was now "scared when I go out".

"Because of the trauma, because of the pain I've been through, because of what this Tomos has done to make me feel like I am not welcome here.

"Going out on this estate, to maybe a place like a shop, it's like a war for me.

"I don't know what will happen next."

If you have been affected by this report, or want additional advice and support around racisim and racist hate crime, the BBC Action Line has information that may be able to help.